218 



not. With reference to the omissions to which he alludes, 

 I would call his attention to the text and editor's footnote on 

 pages 38 and 39, where the following will be found : "The above 

 historic summary does not claim to be complete. The most 

 salient facts have been chosen, which illustrate the development 

 of knowledge of the several phytogeographic regions of North 

 America. . . . The attempt has not been made to furnish 

 a complete synopsis of the literature dealing with the phyto- 

 geography of North America." Then he should read the state- 

 ment in the footnote by Professor Drude: "Auf besonderen 

 Wunsch der Herausgeber hat Prof. Harshberger die urspriinglich 

 ausfiihlicher gehaltene Liste der floristischen und pflanzengeo- 

 graphischen Literatur noch beschrankt, wie es auch in den anderen 

 Banden der V. d. E. gebrauchlich ist." Originally the book was 

 limited to 480 pages, later the publishers agreed to print 640 

 pages, while the actual number which they undertook to print 

 reached 790 pages and 63 pages of the synopsis in German by 

 Professor Drude, and yet much had to be omitted to keep the 

 book within a convenient size. It was, therefore, impossible to 

 notice the more important recent books and papers, because 

 many of them appeared while the book was in press. Frequently 

 it happened that the author would see the book while the paged 

 proof was in hand, and if a footnote could be added, as for 

 example, the one on page 669 about Werckle and Costa Rican 

 vegetation, it was added, but frequently it was impossible without 

 entirely rearranging the printed page to make such additions. 

 The editors and publishers were unusually kind to me about 

 such changes. 



To see such a bulky book through the press required a long 

 time and the criticism of the reviewer on this score will be found 

 to be unfortunate when I give the most important dates connected 

 with its publication. The letter requesting me to write the 

 volume was dated Berlin, October 4, 1901. The typewritten 

 manuscript was expressed to Dresden on September 12, 1906, 

 and the first proof sheet beginning Part I was received by the 

 author on September 26, 1908. The galley proofs were returned 

 as follows: Chapter I, Part II, on November 6, 1908; Chapter I, 



